Tabs

4/18/2012

Films, and personal consumption.

I could not accurately tally up how much cinema and television I watch in an average week. I attend the cinema at least once, and will watch another few films throughout the week on DVD or on demand. On top of that I will watch a healthy chunk of some series (recently Community and 30 Rock have been taking over). And to complete my visual diet I add in a binge or two of anime, serial or OVA based.

A fantastic preview of Cousins' 15-hour documentary on cinema's innovators, with a fully global view on filmmaking as an evolving art and a constantly changing craft. At this particular screening only excerpts from The Story of Film were shown, but it was followed by a highly insightful question and answer session with the filmmaker himself. This helped reveal how the 15-hour film was funded, supported, screened and received.

More info: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-story-of-film-an-odyssey

A beautiful tale of individuals operating against (whilst within) the rules of society. With a double happy ending the film cannot help but please the audience, and although the subject matter tackles age, cancer and immigration the prevalent mood is hopeful. Kaurismäki, who believes in the alchemical nature of cinema, remains true to his nature: the celluloid is alive with punchy colours and balanced shadows, the film manages to look and feel like a 1970s French film. Digital is the devil in his filmmaking playbook, and not surprisingly the only time that 'modern technology' is featured it is as the harbinger of evil (a mobile phone is used to alert the police of the fugitive boy's location).

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Werner Herzog

2009

DVD

A strong return to fiction cinema from Herzog. I cannot watch the camera move (whether tracking, craning or following) without imagining Herzog's voiceover explaining the shot... This does not ruin the film, but makes it better in many ways. Great performance from Mr Cage.

A brilliantly constructed video installation that focuses on the beauty in destruction, the chaos and order that can be found in the job of unmaking.

"The film follows the household clearance of a traditional two-up, two-down red brick terrace in Belfast. At first, the movements of the workers are erratic and violent; only after an understanding of each character has been established is order restored. Their movements are subtly choreographed, producing a seamless flow of objects that slot perfectly into a skip — reminiscent of the classic 1990s computer game Tetris."

A Removals Job (2012)

And, I have also been watching: The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson, 2001 - one of my all time favourite films that I was able to introduce to my girlfriend); Un Chein Andalou (Luis Buñeul, 1929); Blue Valentine (Derek Cianfrance, 2010); Broken Flowers (Jim Jarmusch, 2005); the newest episode of the second season of Game of Thrones; the newest slice of the ever-enchanting Community; the second season of 30 Rock; and, the first season of Occult Academy (strange new anime but probably the best part of the anime no chikara project). That's probably it... I hope. I have never seen it as a list before and this disgusts me a little.